Families of hostages and October 7 victims demand Israel “shut down the country” on August 17 in a mass protest against the Cabinet’s Gaza conquest decision.
Tensions in Israel deepened today as families of hostages and relatives of those killed in the October 7 massacre stood together in front of the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv, calling for a nationwide strike on Sunday, August 17 to protest the government’s decision to launch a full-scale conquest of the Gaza Strip.
Organizers are urging the shutdown to emerge “from the ground up” — led by private companies, labor unions, organizations, and citizens willing to halt economic activity for a single day in a show of unity and defiance.
Anat Angrest, whose son Matan is held captive in Gaza, pleaded with the public:
“Silence kills. I beg you — don’t be silent anymore. The leaders of the economy have the power to make change. Your silence is killing our children.”
Reut Recht-Edri, mother of Ido, murdered at the Nova music festival, delivered a searing message:
“Eighteen mothers of living hostages don’t want to pay the same price I’ve already paid. We’ve gone on strike for wages and benefits — now it’s time to strike for lives.”
Lishi Miran-Lavi, wife of kidnapped Omri, urged the country to halt its routine:
“Stop the madness. No more soldiers killed. No more families shattered. Now is the time to stop everything — to save our hostages and our soldiers.”
Bereaved father Eil Eshkol, whose daughter Roni fell defending the Nahal Oz outpost, stood beside Lishi:
“My Roni will never return. But Omri still can. We will not allow more families to join this circle of mourning. Next Sunday, we stop everything.”
Vicki Cohen, mother of kidnapped soldier Nimrod, accused the government of abandoning the hostages:
“By separating the goal of rescuing hostages from conquering Gaza, the government is giving up on my Nimrod. This is not just our fight — it’s the fight of every citizen of Israel.”
Tzvi Zussman, father of Sgt. Maj. (res.) Ben, who fell in Gaza, closed with a stark warning:
“We want to prevent more knocks on the door that announce a son’s death. The shutdown is the first step to bringing back hope.”
The protest comes amid a deadlock in negotiations for hostage release. Families fear the only path forward may involve meeting Hamas’s demands — a scenario they say underscores the urgency of immediate action.
